Railway hopper car door locking mechanism



March 8, 1966 w. FLOEHR RAILWAY HOPPER CAR DOOR LOOKING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 11, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor:

Walter L. Floehr his Attorney March 8, 1966 w. L. FLOEHR 3,238,898

RAILWAY HOPPER CAR DOOR LOCKING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 11. 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 2/ Inventor:

Walter L. Floehr lam/MM his Attorney March 8, 1966 w, FLQEHR 3,233,898

RAILWAY HOPPER CAR DOOR LOCKING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 11, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Inventor:

Walter L. Floehr u/MM his Attorney FIG. 4

March 8, 1966 w, FLOEHR 3,238,898

RAILWAY HOPPER CAR DOOR LOCKING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 11 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Inv e n to r Walter L. Floehr By @MM his Aflorney United States Patent Office 3,238,898 RAILWAY HOPPER CAR DUOR LOCKING MlEQll-IANISM Walter L. Floehr, Toledo, Ohio, assignor to Unitcast @orporation, Toledo, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Aug. Ill, 1961, Ser. No. 130,812 16 Claims. (Cl. 105308) This invention relates to door locking mechanisms for railway hopper cars.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an improved door locking mechanism of which parts automatically engage as a door is moved toward closed position to hold the door in a preliminary position and which thereafter enables leverage to be applied to it to move the door to closed position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a door locking mechanism to which leverage can be applied to open as well as close a door, the former in case the door is stuck shut.

An additional object of the invent-ion is to provide a door locking mechanism, the latch means of which on disengagement from the catch means automatically set-s itself for reengagement and automatically reengages to hold the door in a preliminary position regardless of the speed at which the door is moved toward closed position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a door locking mechanism wherein a cam fixed to a rotatable and radially shiftable shaft serves as a latch and 'a fixed hook serves as a catch, the cam and hook being so arranged and constructed as automatically to engage on movement of the door toward closed position and enable leverage to be applied through the cam to force the door either closed or open.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved door locking mechanism which is simple and rugged in construction, partially automatic in operation and proof against accidental release when looking the door in closed position.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter in the detailed description, be particularly pointed out in the appended claims and be illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of a hopper door locked in closed position by the door locking mechanism of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view of the left side of the structure of FIGURRE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary elevational View of the right side of the structure of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary front elevational view on an enlarged scale taken parallel to the plane of the outer face of the door;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along lines 55 of [FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional View taken along lines 6-6 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of the latch mounting bracket shown in FIGURES 46; and

FIGURES 8-12 are fragmentary side elevational views showing the relative positions of a latch and catch at various stages in the opening and closing of a door, as follows:

FIGURE 8, the initial engagement of the latch with the catch as the door is swung toward closed position;

FIGURE 9, the latch immediately prior to seating in its preliminary hold position in the catch;

FIGURE 10, the latch seated in the catch in preliminary hold position;

FIGURE 11, the latch at an intermediate stage between preliminary hold and closed positions; and

3,238,898 Patented Mar. 8, 1966 FIGURE 12 the position of the latch in an opening operation with the door sealed shut as it begins to act against the catch in forcing the door open.

Referring now in detail to the drawings in which like reference characters designate like parts, the improved door locking mechanism of the present invention, while adapted for use on freight car doors of other types, is particularly designed to be used on drop bottom doors of railway hopper cars and has been so illustrated as exemplary of the invention.

In the illustrated installation, the improved door locking mechanism, designated generally as I, has been applied to a drop bottom hopper door 2 which, typically, is hinged at the top to a frame 3 fixed as by riveting to and bounding a discharge opening 4 of a hopper 5 of a railway hopper car (not shown). In closed position inclined or sloping inwardly and downwardly from its hinges 6 and abutting or engaging the substantially flat or planar, correspondingly inclined or sloping front face 7 of the frame 3, the door 2 in opening is adapted to swing downwardly about the hinges under the force of gravity and in closing is opposed by the same force.

Although usable to look a hopper door at the bottom, the locking mechanism of the present invention is best suited for use as an exteriorly mounted or exterior side lock for locking the door at one or both sides. As in the illustrated embodiment, a dual locking arrangement in which the door is locked at both sides is preferred to equalize the force with which the door is held closed and prevent possible distortion by the pressure of lading against an unlocked side with consequent interference with seating of the door against the front or confronting face 7 of the frame 3. Whether providing a single or the preferred dual lock, the locking mechanism has as its looking or interlocking means 8 at one or each side of the door a fixed catch or keeper 9 and a cooperating, rotatable and radially shiftable latch or lock It). Either of these members or elements can be mounted on the frame 3 and the cooperating element on the door 2, but for simplicity of construction and operation, especially in the preferred dual locking arrangement, it is desirable to mount the catch 9 and latch 10 of each locking means on the frame and door, respectively.

In any of the above arrangements, the catch 9 of the, or each, locking means 8 has an upturned or upwardly facing hooked portion II for engagement with the cooperating or associated latch Ill. In the preferred arrangement in which the catch is mounted on the frame 3, the hooked portion 11 forms the outer portion of the catch and is disposed at a side and beyond or outwardly of the front or outer face 12 of the door when the latter is in closed position. Bent or offset laterally intermediate its ends to enable the door in opening and closing to clear its hooked portion 11 and with its shank or rear portion or rearward extension 13 riveted or otherwise fixed to or made rigid with a side of the frame 3, the catch 9, as a whole, extends substantially normal to the front face 7 of the frame 3 and, while adjacent the lower extremity of the frame, is disposed sufliciently thereabove to clear A.A.R. equipment limit lines, such as indicated in Hankins Patent No. 2,891,487. For receiving or seating the associated catch 9, the hooked portion 11 of the catch has inwardly of and bounded outwardly by the hook 14 forming its outer or free end portion, an upwardly facing, preferably arcuately concave seat, cavity, pocket or socket 15.

By contrast with the dual side-locking, door locking mechanisms in which the catches are engaged by the mechanisms operating shaft, each catch of the mechanism of this invention is engaged, instead, by a latch or lock discrete thereto. The associated latch 10 is generally of ]-shape with a cam 16 forming its foot or normally lower portion which is adapted to seat in the cavity 15 in the catch 9 and a leg or tail 17 angularly related to and normally upstanding from the cam. The designation of the latch as of J-shape is derived from the inward bend, concavity or recess 18 in the normally upper face of the cam 16 intermediate its juncture with the leg 17 and its outer end or toe 19.

As mentioned earlier, each latch is both rotatable and radially shiftable. This is accomplished by mounting each latch on a shaft, rod or axle 26 carried by the door for rotation about a substantially horizontal axis paralleling the front face 12 of the door, the shaft for the desired radial movement of the latch being shiftable vertically along the door in a plane substantially parallel to the latters front face. To simplify the mounting of the preferred dual or pair of latches at opposite sides of the door, as well as to enable them to be operated in unison, the shaft or rod 28' carrying each latch is a common shaft to which the axially spaced latches are fixed and which extends across the door substantially parallel to its lower or distal edge 21. The common shaft 20 is mounted for rotation and radial shifting on the door in apair of transversely or laterally spaced guide slots or guideways 22 extending vertically and permissively inclined but preferably parallel to the outer face 12 of the door and each conveniently formed on one of a pair of brackets 23 fixed to or rigid with the doors outer face adjacent the sides thereof. Engaged by the brackets intermediate or between the latches, the shaft rides or slides in the guide slots 22 and is guided thereby in its relative movements substantially parallel to the outer face of the door. Rather than mount them directly on the door, the brackets 23 conveniently are mounted on and upstand from the lower flange 24 of an angle iron 25 which is suitably secured, as by riveting, to the outer face of the door and extends substantially horizontally thereacross, thus serving as both a mounting for the brackets and a transverse remforcement for the door.

With each catch 9 and associated latch 10 constructed in the above manner and the latches connected for movement in unison by the common shaft or rod 20, each latch in locking position will have its cam 16 seated in the cavity or seat of the related catch 9 and its leg 17 upstanding thereabove but inclined or sloping forwardly relative to the latchs rotative axis in correspondence with the then forward and upward inclination of the outer faces 7 and 12 of the frame 3 and door 2, respectively. The normal forward inclination of the legs 17 relative to the rotative axis of the operating or mounting shaft or rod enables them to act on disengagement of the latch and associated catch as counterweights for swinging the cams about the rotative axis until their toes 19 point generally in the opposite or inward direction. So directed, the toe of the cam of each latch, as the door swings toward closed position, is adapted to engage and ride or slide upwardly on the upwardly and inwardly sloping upper face or edge 26 of the hook 14 of the related catch 9, the outer end or nose 27 of which, for the purpose, preferably is rounded or arcuately convex. While the counterweight action of the legs 17 would face the cams 16 in the right direction for engagement with the catches 9, the latches 10, if free, would tend to swing relative to the door 2 as the latter was swung closed and this tendency in an aggravated case could well interefere with or even block the desired riding of the cams on the upper faces 26 of the related hooks. It therefore is preferred that, as in FIGURE 8, the cams be positively positioned for engagement with the hooks when the door is swung toward closed position. For the illustrated rigidly connected pair of latches, the desired positioning of both is obtained by positioning one of them, conveniently by means on or fixed to one of the brackets 23, here that shown in FIGURE 7.

The illustrated positioning means is a supporting flange or shelf 28 integral or rigid with and outstanding or projecting outwardly from the base of the bracket 23 longitudinally beyond the adjoining end of the angle iron 4 mounting the bracket on the door. Extending longitudinally under or beneath the adjoining latch and transversely or forwardly from the front or outer face 12 of the door approximately or substantially to the front edge of the bottom flange 24 of the angle iron, the supporting flange 28 provides an underlying support or rest onto which the adjoining latch 10 drops as it disengages its catch 9. To ensure correct positioning of the cam for reengagement with the hook 14, the support flange is designed to support the latch at two or a plurality of transversely spaced points or positions, one each for the cam 16 and leg 17 of the latch, the former conveniently a rear shoulder 29 and the latter a front corner 30, respectively at or demarking the rear and front extremities of the flanges upper face 31. The illustrated flange has its rear shoulder 29 somewhat higher than its front edge 3% to suit the particular configurations of the illustrated cam and hook. If desired, the flange may be strengthened by thickening it adjacent the rear shoulder, but in such case, the upper face 31 over that area preferably is arcuately concave to ensure clearance or non-interference between the flange and the cam as the latter turns in the seat 15 in the related catch 9. This last requirement, that the flange, While necessarily underlying or positioned beneath the latch, be so disposed, relative to the seat in the catch, as not to interfere with or obstruct the freedom of the cam to be received and thereafter turn as intended in the seat, is, of course, essential, whether the latch support 28 is of the illustrated or other suitable configuration.

At the outset of the cams progress along the upper face 26 of its hook, on continued movement of the door 2 toward closed position, the shaft will merely move upwardly with insignificant rotation of the toe about its axis. However, the longitudinal spacing between the nose 27 and upper end or tip 32 of the hook 14 is made less than the projection of the toe 19 of the latch beyond its leg or tail 17. As a consequence, as the recess 18 in the then underface of the cam approaches the tip 32 of the hook, the leg will strike the catch, causing the cam, as it progresses further along the upper face 26, to rotate or turn downwardly about its axis to the position shown in FIGURE 9. Thus, when the cam clears the tip of the hook, it is directed downwardly substantially parallel to the outer face 12 of the door and, by downward shifting of the shaft 20 under the force of gravity, drops automatically into the cavity 15 in the catch. Prevented from counter-rotation by engagement of the leg 17 with the underlying upper face 26 of the hook 14, should the door he carried by its momentum further toward closed position, the cam presents its recess 18 to the tip 32 of the hook 14 and, as the door falls back after exhausting its momentum, the tip of the hook enters the recess at the same time that the toe 19 of the cam enters the bend 33 of the hook, thus effectively holding the door in a position preliminary to full closure. In this preliminary hold position shown in FIGURE 10, the door actually is held by the interconnection or intercoupling of a pair of hooks at each side, the cams in effect being rendered hooks by the recesses 18 indenting their normally upper faces.

While automatic in the actions of the counterweighted cam 16 on disengagement from its catch 9 in positioning itself for reengagement on subsequent swinging of the door toward closed position by seating of one of the rigidly connected cams 16 on the underlying base flange 28 of the adjoining bracket 23, and in dropping by gravity into the cavity or seat 15 in the catch as it clears the tip 32 of the hook and instrumental in enabling the door to be forced or moved from its preliminary hold to its closed position, the locking mechanism is neither automatic in producing such forcing of the door nor particularly adapted for direct application of the necessary force with the legs 17 of its latches 10 of the length illustrated. However, given sufficient leverage to rotate the cam 16 through the angle of or so between its preliminary hold and normal or door locking positions, in the latter of which it is fully seated in the seat in the related catch, closing of the door is a simple matter. On such rotation, the cam 16 is designed to pivot, fulcrum or swing on its toe 19 in the bend 33 of the hook 14 and, the hook being fixed to the frame 3, to act against the frame and, through the shaft and mounting brackets 23, on the outer face 12 of the door and thus force the latter to closed position.

For the intended action, the cam 16 must be of a size to fit in its seat 15 in locking position but the contour of its periphery 34, aside from the recess 18 need not be altogether arcuately concave substantially in conformance with the contour of the seat in the manner of the illustrated embodiment. Instead, it is only necessary that the toe 19 on which each cam pivots in its final rotation to locking position be convex, although, to minimize wear, it is desirable that the parts of the periphery 34 and the bend 33, which engage and slide on each other in this final increment of the cams rotation, be both cylindrical and, when in engagement, concentric. With such concentric cylindrical bearing or engaging surfaces, the cam, on being rotated to locking position, will turn about the surfaces common center, as indicated in FIG- URE 11, and the shaft 20 will slide downwardly in its guideways 22, in process camming the door to closed position.

If, when the latch 10 is in locking position, the center about which the cam pivots in the final closing, here the common center of the concentric engaging surfaces, is over center by having swung through a plane extending through the axis of the shaft 20 and perpendicular to the front face 7 of the frame 3, the came will effectively lock itself against accidental unlocking. Even so to prevent possible unlocking of the cam by service shocks, it ordinarily will be desirable to provide means separate from the latches for locking them in locking position. With the latches here movable only in unison because of their rigid connection by the shaft 20, a locking means for one of the latches will suffice for both. In keeping, the illustrated embodiment has a locking pawl 35 which, conveniently, is pivotally mounted on the mounting bracket 23 having the base flange 2S and is swingable by suitable means, such as an actuating lug 36, from an out-ofthe-way or release position to a position overlying the then outer face of the leg or tail 17 of the latch. Since the pivot of the illustrated pawl 35 is disposed above the leg 17 and the pawl swings downwardly thereabout to locking position, gravity will ordinarily restrain the pawl from displacement from locking position. However, if desired, its action can be made positive by providing in the bracket a slot 37 into which the pawl slides and tapering the pawl sideways so that in its locking position it is wedged in the slot.

The common shaft 20, which enables both latches 10 to be locked in locking position by the single pawl 35, also enables both latches to be operated from one side of the hopper 5 in forcing the door to closed position. It therefore is necessary only to fit one of the latches and that one, the more readily accessible, with means for receiving or socketing a crowbar or other lever suitable for applying the leverage necessary to rotate the latch to locking position. The socket needed to receive the actuating lever may readily be provided by projecting or extending the shaft 20 axially beyond the surrounding hub 38 in one of the latches, preferably the one adjacent the mounting bracket 23 carrying the locking pawl 35 and by having fixed to or rigid or integral with the outer side face 39 of the cam of that latch adjacent or over its toe 19, an axially outstanding lug 4f), the radial spacing of which from the extension of the shaft provides therebetween a seat or socket 41 for receiving end end of the lever. With one of its ends seated in that seat, force applied to its other end will act against the shaft extension and on the lug to rotate the cam to closed position.

The operation or action of the locking mechanism 1 on closing of the door 2 not only is automatic to the point at which the latch 10 and catch 9 at either side engage to hold the door in preliminary position but also is positive because of the action of each tail 17 on striking the nose 27 of the catch in turning the cam 16 to a position to drop into the seat 15. Causing the connecting shaft 20 to both turn and slide or shift longitudinally in its guideways 22, this action of the tail ensures that the shaft will be free to drop downwardly at the moment when the seats in the catches are presented for reception of the cams. As a consequence, automatic engagement of the latches in the preliminary hold position is obtained regardless of the speed with which the door is swung shut.

Rotated or turned by the crowbar or other suitable lever (not shown) from its initial or preliminary hookengaging or temporary hold position to locking position, the cam 16 is readily rotatable in the opposite direction by the same means to unlock the door. In this reverse or unlocking operation, the pawl 35 is moved to its outof-the-way or release position to free the tail and the latches are then rotated by the leverage applied to the one having the bar-receiving slot 41, first to the preliminary hold position. Further leverage in the same direction causes each tail of the latch to act against the upper face 26 of its hook 14, as shown in reverse in FIGURE 9, and thus converts part of the rotative force into an upward or vertical component which lifts each cam out of its seat and disengages it from its hook so that the door is free to swing by gravity to open position. Operation in this manner presupposes the door to be free to move away from the frame 3. However, this is not always the case, hopper doors with cement and other ladings having adhesive properties, as well as under icing conditions having the faculty of becoming sealed or stuck to the frame. Such a condition the ordinary latching mechanism is helpless to combat, but not so that of this invention. Instead, if the door is sealed shut, the same application of leverage to the latches which unlocks a free door also releases the sealed door from the frame.

The above action is obtained by fixing to either or each side of the frame 3 an upstanding shoulder or abutment 42 bounding or defining the inner end of the related cam seat 15 and opposing and spaced longitudinally of the catch from the hook 14. Conveniently integral or rigid with the outer or hooked portion 11 of each catch and forming with the hook 14- a C-hook, the abutment 42 not only extends upwardly or upstands from the shank 13 of the related catch, but its outer or seat-bounding face 43, at least towards its upper extremity, is inclined or slopes outwardly relative to the front face 7 of the frame. With such an inclination, the outer face 43 of the abutment can be longitudinally spaced from the confronting bend or concave abutment, shoulder or abutting surface 33 of the hook 14 such that it will not interfere with movement of each cam 16 into and out of its seat in normal operation and yet be disposed to be engaged by the toe 19 of the cam in the manner shown in FIG- URE 12 as, on turning of the latch beyond preliminary hold position in unlocking, the cam is lifted by the reaction of the tail 17 against the upper face 26 of the hook. Consequently, if the door is stuck, the unlocking movements of each latch will bring its toe 19 into engagement with the outer face 43 of the abutment 42 and, as the toe slides upwardly thereon, produce by a camming or wedging action, an inward force on the frame, the outward reaction to which on the door will disrupt any seals or bonds and break or unseal the door from the frame. Thereafter, continued application of the leverage to the latches in an unlocking direction will cause them to disengage the catches in the manner of the release or unlocking operation upon an initially free door.

From the above detailed description, it will be apparent that there has been provided an improved door locking mechanism which is particularly suited for application to drop bottom doors of railway hopper cars and not only operates automatically during the initial stages of doors closing but, as well, enables leverage applied to it to force a door either shut or open. It should be understood that the described and disclosed embodiment is merely exemplary of the invention and that all modifications are intended to be included that do not depart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. Locking mechanism for a door member of a railway car connected for opening and closing movements to a body member thereof, comprising catch means fixed to one of said members, horizontally disposed shaft means mounted on the other member for radial shifting substantially parallel to a front face of said member, latch means mounted on said shaft for rotation about an axis thereof, said latch means including cam means for engaging and thereupon separating said catch means from said shaft means, said cam means being automatically engageable with said catch means on swinging of said door member toward closed position for holding said door member in a preliminary position, and means connected to said cam means for enabling force to be applied therethrough against said catch means and on said shaft means for moving said door member from said preliminary to closed position.

2. Locking mechanism for a door member of a railway car connected for opening and closing movements to a body member thereof, comprising catch means fixed to one of said members, shaft means mounted on the other of said members and radially shiftable vertically relative thereto substantially parallel to a face thereof, latch means mounted on said shaft means for radial shifting therewith and rotation about an axis thereof relative to said other member, said latch means including cam means for engaging and thereupon separating said catch means from said shaft means, said cam means being automatically engageable with said catch means on swinging of said door member toward closed position for holding said member in a preliminary position, and means connected to said cam means for enabling force to be applied therethrough against said catch means and on said shaft means for moving said door member between said preliminary and closed positions.

3. Locking mechanism for a door member of a railway car connected for opening and closing movements to a body member thereof, comprising catch means fixed to one of said members, shaft means mounted on the other of said members and radially shiftable vertically relative thereto substantially parallel to a face thereof, latch means mounted on said shaft means for radial shifting therewith and rotation about the axis thereof relative to said other member, said latch means including cam means for engaging and thereupon separating said catch means from said shaft means, said cam means being automatically engageable with said catch means on swinging of said door member toward closed position for holding said member in a preliminary position, and means connected to said cam means for enabling force to be applied therethrough against said catch means and on said shaft means for moving said door member from said preliminary to closed position.

4. Locking mechanism for a door member of a railway car connected for opening and closing movements to a body member thereof, comprising catch means fixed to one of said members, shaft means mounted on the other of said members and radially shifta-ble vertically relative thereto substantially parallel to a face thereof, latch means mounted on said shaft means for radial shifting therewith and rotation about the axis thereof relative to said other member, said latch means including cam means for engaging and thereupon separating said catch means from said shaft means, said cam means being automatically engageable with said catch means on swinging of said door member toward closed position for holding said member in a preliminary position, means connected to said cams means for enabling force to be applied therethrough against said catch means and on said shaft means for moving said door member from said preliminary to closed position, and means on said body member and engageable by said cam means in an opening operation with the door member stuck to the body member for enabling force applied through said cam means to release said door member from said body memher.

5. Locking mechanism for a door member of a railway car connected for opening and closing movements to a body member thereof, comprising catch means fixed to one of said members, shaft means mounted on the other member for radial shifting substantially parallel to a front face of said member, and latch means mounted on said shaft means for rotation about an axis thereof, said latch means including cam means for engaging and thereupon separating said catch means from said shaft means, said cam means being automatically engageable with said catch means on swinging of said door member toward closed position for holding said door member in a preliminary position.

6. Locking mechanism for a door member of a rail- Way car connected for opening and closing movements to a body member thereof, comprising catch means fixed to one of said members, shaft means mounted on the other member for radial shifting substantially parallel to a front face of said member, latch means mounted on said shaft means for rotation about a substantially horizontal axis thereof, said latch means including cam means for engaging and thereupon separating said catch means from said shaft means, same cam means being engageable with said catch means on swinging of said door member toward closed position for holding said door member in a preliminary position, and means fixed to said cam means, said fixed means on disengagement of said cam means from said catch means cooperating therewith for positioning said cam means for reengagement with said catch means and on swinging of said door member toward closed position engaging and coacting with said catch means for guiding said cam means into holding engagement with said catch means,

7. Locking mechanism for a door member of a railway car connected for opening and closing movements to a body member thereof, comprising catch means fixed to one of said members, shaft means mounted on the other member for radial shifting substantially parallel to a front face of said member, latch means mounted on said shaft means for rotation about a substantially horizontal axis thereof, said latch means including cam means for engaging and thereupon separating said catch means from said shaft means, said cam means being engageable with said catch means on swinging of said door member toward closed position for holding said door member in a preliminary position, means fixed to said cam means, said fixed means on disengagement of said cam means from said catch means cooperating therewith for positioning said cam means for reengagement with said catch means and on swinging of said door member toward closed position engaging and coacting with said catch means for guiding said cam means into holding engagement with said catch means, and means fixed to said body member and cooperating with said cam means in an opening operation with the door member stuck to the body member for enabling force applied to said cam means to unstick said door and body members.

8. Locking mechanism for a drop bottom door hinged to a fixed frame bounding a hopper opening in a railway hopper car, comprising catch means fixed to said frame, shaft means mounted on a front face of said door for radial shifting substantially parrallel to said front face, latch means mounted on said shaft means for rotation about a substantially horizontal axis thereof, said latch means for engaging and thereupon separating said catch means from said shaft means, said cam means being including cam means engageable with said catch means on swinging of said door toward closed position for holding said door in a preliminary position, means associated with said cam means and operative on disengagement thereof from said catch means for automatically positioning said cam means for rengagement with said catch means, and means connected to said cam means for enabling force to be applied therethrough to move said door from said preliminary to closed position.

9. Locking mechanism for a drop bottom door hinged to a fixed frame bounding a hopper opening in a railway hopper car, comprising catch means fixed to said frame, shaft means mounted on a front face of said door for radial shifting substantially parallel to said front face, latch means mounted on said shaft means for rotation about a substantially horizontal axis thereof, said latch means including cam means for engaging and thereupon separating said catch means from said shaft means, said cam means being engageable with said catch means on swinging of said door toward closed position for holding said door in a preliminary position, means carried by said door and operative on said swinging thereof toward closed position for positioning said cam means for engagement with said catch means, means connected to said cam means and coacting with said catch means for guiding said cam means into said engagement therewith, and means connected to said cam means for enabling force to be applied therethrough against said catch means and on said shaft means for moving said door from said preliminary to closed position.

10. Locking mechanism for a drop bottom door hinged to a fixed frame bounding a hopper opening in a railway hopper car, comprising a catch fixed to a side of said hook and having a hook disposed beyond a front face thereof, a shaft mounted on a front face of said door for radial shifting substantially parallel to said front face, a latch mounted on said shaft for rotation about a substantially horizontal axis thereof, said latch including a cam for engaging and thereupon separating said catch means from said shaft means, said cam means being engageable with said hook on swinging of said door toward closed position for holding said door in a preliminary position, and a tail rigid with said cam, said tail on disengagement of said cam from said hook acting as a counterweight for positioning said cam for reengagement with said door and during said swinging of said door toward closed position coacting with said hook for guiding said cam into said engagement, and means connected to said cam for enabling force to be applied therethrough against said hook for forcing said door from said preliminary to closed position.

11. Locking mechanism for a drop bottom door hinged to a fixed frame bounding a hopper opening in a railway hopper car, comprising a catch fixed to a side of said frame and having a hook disposed beyond a front face thereof, a shaft mounted on a front face of said door for relative rotation about a substantially horizontal axis and radial shifting substantially parallel to said front face, a latch mounted on said shaft for rotation about a substantial horizontal axis thereof, said latch including a cam for engaging and thereupon separating said catch from said shaft, said cam having a toe portion engageable with said hook for holding said door in a preliminary position on swinging thereof toward closed position, means rigid with said door and operative on disengagement of said cam from said hook for positioning said cam for reengagement with said hook, a tail rigid with said cam, said tail on said swinging of said door toward closed position engaging and coacting with said hook for directing said toe into engagement therewith, and means connected to said cam for enabling force to be applied thereto to fulcrum said cam about said toe and against said hook and thereby move said door from said preliminary to closed position.

12. Locking mechanism for a drop bottom door hinged to a fixed frame bounding a hopper opening in a railway hopper car, comprising a catch fixed to a side of said frame and having an upwardly facing seat disposed beyond a front face thereof, said catch including upstanding longitudinally spaced hook and abutment means at opposite longitudinal extremities of said seat, said hook means having a concave bend confronting and said abutment means having an outer face inclined upwardly and outwardly relative to said front face of said frame, a shaft mounted on a front face of said door for relative rotation about a substantially horizontal axis and shifting radially of said axis substantially parallel to said door front face, a latch mounted on said shaft for radial shifting therewith and rotation about said axis thereof, said latch including a cam for engaging and thereupon separating said catch from said shaft, said cam being seatable in an over-center position in said seat in a closed position of said door for locking said door in said position, said cam having a toe portion engageable with said bend of said hook means on swinging of said door toward closed position for holding said door in a preliminary position, a tail rigid with and disposed substantially normal to said cam, said tail in opening of said door acting on said hook means for disengaging said cam therefrom and on swinging of said door toward closed position contacting said hook means and coacting therewith for directing said toe portion into said bend, means fixed to said door and operative on disengagement of said cam from said hook means for positioning said cam for reengagement therewith, and means connected to said cam for enabling force to be applied thereto to cause said cam. to fulcrum on said toe portion against said bend and thereby move said door from said preliminary to closed position, said cam on application of force thereto through said connecting means in an opening operation with the door stuck to the frame reacting against said outer face of said abutment means for unsticking said door from said frame.

13. Locking mechanism for a door hinged at the top to a fixed frame bounding an opening in a railway hopper car, comprising a pair of catches fixed to opposite sides and extending forwardly of a front face of said frame, transversely spaced brackets fixed to a front face of said door, slots, in said brackets extending in a direction substantially parallel to said front face and normal to the hinging axis of said door, a shaft extending beyond sides of said door and through said slots for shifting longitudinally thereof and rotation relative to said door, a pair of latches fixed to opposite end portions of said shaft beyond said door and each including a cam for engaging and thereupon separating said catch from said shaft, said cam being engageable with one of said catches on swinging of said door toward closed position for holding said door in a preliminary position, and means connected to one of said latches for enabling force to be applied therethrough against the associated catch and through said shaft on said door front face for forcing said door from said preliminary to closed position. i

14. Locking mechanism for a door hinged at the top to a fixed frame bounding an opening in a railway hopper car, comprising a pair of catches fixed to opposite sides and extending forwardly of a front face of said frame, transversely spaced brackets fixed to the front face of said door, slots in said brackets extending in a direction substantially parallel to said front face and normal to the hinging axis of said door, a shaft extending beyond sides of said door and through said slots for shifting longitudinally thereof and rotation relative to said door, a pair of latches fixed to opposite end portions of said shaft beyond said door and each including a cam for engaging and thereupon separating said catch from said shaft, said cam being engageable with one of said catches on swinging of said door toward closed position for holding said door in a preliminary position, and means rigid with said cams and cooperating therewith and with means rigid with said door on disengagement of said cams from said catches for positioning said cams for reengagement with said catches, said rigid means on said swinging of said door toward closed position engaging and coacting with said catches for guiding said cams into holding engagement therewith.

15. Locking mechanism for a door hinged at the top to a fixed frame bounding an opening in a railway hopper car, comprising a pair of catches fixed to opposite sides and extending forwardly of a front face of said frame, transversely spaced brackets fixed to a front face of said door, slots in said brackets extending in a direction substantially parallel to said front face and normal to the hinging axis of said door, a shaft extending beyond sides of said door and through said slots for shifting longitudinally thereof and rotation relative to said door, a pair of latches fixed to opposite end portions of said shaft beyond said door and each including a cam for engaging and thereupon separating said catch from said shaft, said cam being engageable with one of said catches on swinging of said door toward closed position for holding said door in a preliminary position, means rigid with said cams and cooperating therewith and with means rigid with said door on disengagement of said cams from said catches for positioning said cams for reengagement with said catches, said rigid means on said swinging of said door toward closed position engaging and coacting with said catches for guiding said cams into holding engagement therewith, means for enabling force to be applied through said latches to move said door from said preliminary to closed position, and means on one of said brackets and engageable with the rigid means on the adjoining latch for locking said latches in locking position in said closed position of said door.

16. Locking mechanism for a door hinged at the top to a fixed frame bounding an opening in a railway hopper car, comprising a pair of catches fixed to opposite sides and extending forwardly of a front face of said frame, transversely spaced brackets fixed to a front face of said door, slots in said brackets extending in a direction substantially parallel to said front face and normal to the hinging axis of said door, a shaft extending beyond sides of said door and through said slots for shifting longitudinally thereof and rotation relative to said door, a pair of latches fixed to opposite end portions of said shaft beyond said door and each including a cam for engaging and thereupon separating said catch from said shaft, said cam being engageable with one of said catches on swinging of said door toward closed position for holding said door in a preliminary position, means rigid with said cams and cooperating therewith and with means rigid with said door on disengagement of said cams from said catches for positioning said cams for reengagement with said catches, said rigid means on said swinging of said door toward closed position engaging and coacting with said catches for guiding said cams into holding engagement therewith, means for enabling force to be applied through said latches between said catches and shaft for moving said door from said preliminary to closed position, and pawl means mounted on one of said brackets and engageable with the rigid means on the adjoining latch for locking said latches in locking position in said closed position of said door.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,434,178 10/1922 Wine 105-308 1,464,746 8/ 1923 Campbell 105-308 1,818,689 8/1931 Campbell 105-308 1,949,633 3/1934 Shafer 105-308 2,578,231 12/1951 Dorey 105-308 2,684,645 7/1954 Shaver et al. 105-308 2,818,032 12/1957 Dath 105-309 2,888,885 6/1959 Dorey 105-309 2,962,982 12/ 1960 Wine 105-308 2,962,983 12/1960 Ingram et al 105-308 2,970,551 2/ 1961 Dorey 105-308 X 3,100,455 8/1963 Dorey 105-309 3,104,623 9/1963 Dorey 105-309 X ARTHUR L. LA POINT, Primary Examiner.

LEO QUACKENBUSH, MILTON BUCHLER,

Examiners. 

1. LOCKING MECHANISM FOR A DOOR MEMBER OF A RAILWAY CAR CONNECTED FOR OPENING AND CLOSING MOVEMENTS TO A BODY MEMBER THEREOF, COMPRISING CATCH MEANS FIXED TO ONE OF SAID MEMBERS, HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED SHAFT MEANS MOUNTED ON THE OTHER MEMBER FOR RADIAL SHIFTING SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO A FRONT FACE OF SAID MEMBER, LATCH MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID SHAFT FOR ROTATION ABOUT AN AXIS THEREOF, SAID LATCH MEANS INCLUDING CAM MEANS FOR ENGAGING AND THEREUPON SEPARATING SAID CATCH MEANS FROM SAID SHAFT MEANS, SAID CAM MEANS BEING AUTOMATICALLY ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID CATCH MEANS ON SWINGING OF SAID DOOR MEMBER TOWARD CLOSED POSITION FOR HOLDING SAID DOOR MEMBER IN A PRELIMINARY POSITION, AND MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID CAM MEANS FOR ENABLING FORCE TO BE APPLIED THERETHROUGH AGAINST SAID CATCH MEANS AND ON SAID SHAFT MEANS FOR MOVING SAID DOOR MEMBER FROM SAID PRELIMINARY TO CLOSED POSITION. 